Special Transport Network of TOKYO |
Special Transport Network of TOKYO (STNT) consists of voluntary organizations and groups of volunteers that provide transport services to disabled and elderly people.
In Japan, voluntary organizations and groups mainly working for the disabled began to provide special transport services with accessible vans in 1975, and this move spread over the whole country in the former of 1980’s. In 1990’s, this sector has grown so rapidly and now there are about 700 schemes in Japan. They are run mainly by voluntary organizations, councils of social welfare (organizations providing social services) and independent living centers. However, the way they provide transport services is very different from one organization to another.
In Tokyo several organizations and groups began to exchange information among themselves in 1986 and this network has developed into STNT. STNT is engaged in the following activities;